A look back

Four weeks ago, I met a rambunctious, ill-behaved, mouthy, cantankerous, adorable, sweet puppy named Slash. Slash’s family loved him but were at a loss as to what to do about his unacceptable behaviors. As a young pup they knew the behaviors were only going to get worse if they didn’t do something soon. Slash did well with a couple of lessons, but last week we stepped things up a notch with the Board and Train program!

Training builds confidence

At home, Slash was a confident, pushy pup but at the kennel his confidence was tested. For the first time, Slash was a little overwhelmed and nervous about his surroundings. However, after the first day of working with him he made great improvements. Because he knew me and he was out for exercise and mental stimulation he felt more relaxed. The pet care technician even commented on how much better he was doing when I came back on day two. Any time a dog boards at a kennel it is always good for them to get mental and physical exercise. It can be training, a play time, swimming (Bow Wow Luau) or day camp. The interaction they have with their counselors and/or other dogs makes their vacation more enriching.

A Bright Future for Slash

The distractions offered him within the kennel were exactly what he needed. Slash is an incredibly smart dog. It did not take long for him to learn that he needed to stay by my side when we walked by the other dogs, and that he had to stay on his “climb” even with other dogs/people around…not to mention the horse! Slash’s neighbors have a donkey so it was important that he learned to behave well around the livestock. He is no longer jumping or mouthing and he sits politely and waits to be pet. His family was so happy with his improvements that we are moving on to the next step….off leash training! Slash has a large yard that he can play in but his family wants to be confident that he can behave off-leash so that he can accompany them around the rest of the property. They also want to be able to take him to the Soccer field up the road to run and play with the other kids without the risk of him running off. The first step was asking for help. Now, like many owners, Slash’s family has realized that training opens up a whole new world of possibilities and they are excited about this bright new future!